2007 Ford F-150 King Ranch Crew Cab Pickup 4-door 5.4l on 2040-cars

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Ford drops Focus RS teaser ahead of Feb 3 reveal

Ford is trying to get us hyped for the unveiling of the latest Focus RS on February 3 with this new video teaser. The clip showcases the hot hatch doing some big slides in the wet and dry during testing in Europe and the US, and it definitely makes us even more curious about what the Blue Oval has in store with the RS. Even in this short teaser, Ford continues to dress the more aggressive nose of the Focus RS in camouflage, like the previous test cars. Unfortunately, what's going on under all of that concealment remains a bit of a mystery. Rumors suggest the RS likely uses a tuned version of the Blue Oval's 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder estimated to make between 325 and 350 horsepower. A speculated torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system should keep fears of torque steer at bay, and larger brakes on the test mules indicate that bringing it all to a halt shouldn't be a problem, either. We do know that the hotter Focus will be among the "more than 12" vehicles that the new Ford Performance division will develop through 2020, and the RS will come to the US for the first time. However, US-spec RS models will likely be imported from Europe, which will keep numbers here low and will mean prices estimated to be around $30,000 or more. Until the official specs become available, at least enjoy watching this hot hatch's ability to slide.

First 1K next-gen Mustangs to carry 2014 1/2 model year?

A new report from Mustangs Daily, citing insider sources at Ford, tells us that the Blue Oval will produce 1,000 next-generation Mustangs with the model year designation of 2014 ½, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the storied marque. The commemorative half-year designation is a rumor that's been swirling in Mustang forums for quite some time now, and seems more plausible than ever with this most recent report. Certainly it's not far-fetched to believe that Ford will want to make a big deal of the golden anniversary for its most-loved model.
The story (compiled by Drew Phillips, who runs the aforementioned Mustang site when he's not directing the photography on these pages) goes on to say that the limited-run cars will be the first built on the new Mustang platform internally known as S550 (and spied testing in the attached gallery). Each car is said to carry a "special" VIN and build number, though no performance upgrades versus the 2015 cars to follow are in the works. A collector's dream then, rather than a weekend racer's.

Watch Vaughn Gittin Jr. hit the ice in his 2015 Mustang RTR

There's more than one way to get a car to drift. You can set up a purpose-built drift car. Or you can put a car on a slick surface. But in this case, Vaughn Gittin Jr. has done both. In this latest video, the driftmeister extraordinaire reveals the new livery for his 2015 Ford Mustang RTR, and put it on a frozen track, flanked by snow banks. It's the perfect place to drift any car, and this custom pony car could very well be the perfect drifter. Call it a match made in heaven. A cold, frozen-over slice of heaven where rear-drive muscle cars put on one heck of a show. Gittin, for those unfamiliar, is one of the drifting scene's foremost showmen, and like Ken Block or Tanner Foust, he competes primarily in Blue Oval machinery. Vaughn will be challenging the Formula Drift series once again in the Mustang RTR, but whether the sideways-driving championship is coming to a circuit near you or not, you can scope out a piece of the action right here.